For the first time in the same season, all four Irish provinces have qualified for European quarter-finals. Munster and Connacht face last-eight trips to Edinburgh and Sale Sarks respectively, while the Heineken Champions Cup will have its first all-Irish quarter-final since 2012 when Leinster and Ulster clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland second row Quinn Roux is set to captain Connacht for the first time when they play Bordeaux-Bègles at Stade Chaban-Delmas in their final European Challenge Cup pool game on Saturday (kick-off 4pm local time/3pm Irish time).

Full back Tiernan O'Halloran has returned from a leg injury to take his place in the Connacht team to face Sale Sharks in the European Challenge Cup at the Sportsground on Saturday (kick-off 3pm). He missed all three of the westerners' interprovincial fixtures over the festive period.

Ireland international Ultan Dillane is the latest player to commit his future to Connacht by signing a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the Sportsground up to the end of the 2020/21 season.